Well drilling apparatus



Sept. 1, 1936. H. c. OTIS WELL DRILLING APARATUS Filed Dec. 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l m W0 N m. (4

6 I 7 z 9 f Z w Z 0 a 5 Q 0 0 I QOOOQOMM w [I 000 60 L w 5 4, 5 w a Sept. 1, 1936. c. OTIS 2,052,939

WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 50, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q 0 /7 v. /0 /5 Z0 A I Ill A /Z ME 6 z/ H 22 f Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to new and useful improvements in well drilling apparatus.

The invention has particularly to do with drilling into the producing formation or oil sands and a particular object oi the invention is to provide'an improved apparatus for drilling under pressure. 7

One.object oi. the invention is to provide an improved closure structure for the top of the well which will permit the use of an angularsided drill stem, commonly known as a Kelly?; and also the use of outside coupled drill pipe.

Aiurther object of the invention is to provide a closure structure so arranged that the Kelly may be rotated and lowered through the closure and outside coupled pipe run through the closure structure, without losing pressure both when the Kelly is connected and disconnected.

An important object oi the invention is to provide an improved drilling apparatus including an enclosure having a pressure drilling head at its upper end arranged to receive a flat-sided drill stem, a closure device connected in the enclosure below the headand arranged to permit the passage of coupling without losing pressure,

and a blowou'tpreventer in the enclosure so as to provide a positlveclosure to withstand well pressures and prevent the blowing out of tools and the drill string.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drilling apparatus of the character described wherein a. pack-oil" drilling head is arranged to be readily detached from the remaining structure, so as to be picked up with the drill stem, when the latter is disconnected from the drill P P Still another object of the invention is to provide a pressure-sealed or packed-oil drilling head adapted to have a Kelly or fiat-sided drill stem passed therethrough while holding the well pressure, together with a closure device connected to the head and below the sameand arranged to pass thecouplings of outside coupled pipe without losing pressure and also to be retracted to be free of the drill stem when the same is rotated therethrough.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter'described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a. reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

5 Claims. (01. 255-1) Figural is an elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with theinvention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of the same, partly in elevation and partly in section, and

v Figure 3 is a view of the oil saver, elevation and partly in section.

In the drawings, the numeral ill designates an ordinary Kelly drilling stem which is usually square in. cross-section. .The flat sides of the Kelly are gripped by the bushings of the rotary table (not shown), whereby the Kelly is rotated. The lower end of the Kelly is joined to the drill pipe II, in the usual manner, and the sections of drill pipe are connected together by collars l2 and such a connection is known as outside coupled pipe. A drilling head l3, such as is shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 32,685, filed'July 22, 1935, is screwed into the upper end of a coupling I 4. Any other type of head through which a Kelly-stem may rotate and slide, may be used. The stem engages in a rotatable member IS in said head and this member is packed so as to hold the well pressure below said head.

The coupling is provided in its lower end with a clamp l6 and receives the upper end of an adapter II. By loosening the clamp It, the structure may be lii'ted from the adapter very quickly and without prolonged rotation. The adapter is bolted on top of an oil saver it having a bore I9 registering with the bore of the adapter. The oil saver is provided with opposite elastic heads 20 adapted to engage the pipe H from each side. One of the essential features of the invention is the provision whereby the elastic heads are so flexible as to permit the collar I2 to pass therethrough while they are engaging the pipe I I, thus preventing the escape of fluid or a reduction in the pressure below said heads; and also whereby said heads may be completely withdrawn into the chamber 2! of the oil saver to permit the Kelly to pass down through the oilsaver and rotate without injuring said heads. Suchan. arrangement also permits tools to pass through the bore IS without injuring the heads 20.

The oil saver i8 is supportedon an adapter 22 which is connected to a blow-out preventer 23 by a coupling 24 and a nipple 25. The blow-out preventer is coupled to a master gate 26 by a nipple 21 which in turn is carried by an adapter 28 bolted on a flow head 28. The flow head is mounted on a casing head 30 carried on top of the easing 3|.

A flow pipe 32 including a hand valve 33 expartly in tends irom the flow head and connects with a riser 34 on the upper end or which is mounted an ordinary pressure choke 35 from which extends the flow line It. By adjusting the choke any desired pressure may be maintained in the casing and superstructure thereon.

In using the apparatus, the elastic heads 20 are retracted as shown in Figure 2. This permits the Kelly stem ID to freely pass down through the oil saver I 8 and rotate without injuring the elastic heads. The drilling is carried on under pressure, the fluid being pumped down through the Kelly l0 and pipe H in the usual manner. When it is desired to add additional sections to the pipe Ill or to withdraw the pipe from the well, it is'necessary to remove the Kelly l0 and thehead l3. Before this is done, the heads 20 of the oil saver H? are advanced so as toengage the pipe as is shown in Figure 3. This packs oil? the structure below said oil saver and permits the removal of the head l3 without the loss of pressure in the 7 well.

The clamp I 6 is loosened and the coupling l4 quickly detached from the adapter II. The head and coupling are either lifted or the Kelly is elevated until the joint at the bottom thereof picks up the head l3 and carries it upward through the rotary table.- Whenever the pipe H is raised the collar l2 will'pass through the heads 20 without losing pressure and any pipe operations may be performedwhile' the well is still under pressure. When it is desired to resume operation, the Kelly andhead 13 are lowered and the coupling l4 quickly fastened on the adapter H. The heads 20 are then withdrawn and the device is'ready to continue drilling.

In drilling operations, the saving of time and the speed of working are vitally importantto the success of the well. By use of thestructure which has been described much time may be saved by employing the quick clamp l6 and the elastic heads 20. It is not necessary to slow down the pipe when it is passing through the elastic heads and little time is lost in coupling and uncoupling the head l3. Unless theelastic heads are protected, any member rotating therethrough would soon cut them to pieces; In drilling the Kelly will probably pass some distance through the oil saver and therefore it is necessary to fully retract the heads therein.

What I claim Patent, is: v

1. A well drilling apparatus including, a pressure sealed drilling head having a rotating memand desire togecure by Letters ber therein adapted to permit vertical passage of v a flat-sided drill stem while rotating and without loss or well pressure, and a packing device be low and connected with the head and having retractable members provided with yieldable faces for engaging the drill pipe and permitting the passage of outside couplings without loss of well pressure, the packing members being retractable to permit a flat-sided drill stem passing down through the head to pass between the said mem bers without contacting the yieldable faces therepressure tight drilling head mounted on the up perend'of the enclosure and having a rotating member therein arranged so that a flat-sided drill stem may be passed vertically therethrough while rotating and without losing well pressure, and a packing device connected in the enclosure below the drilling head and having yieldable packing elements permitting the passageof the outside pipe couplings of a drill pipe without losing well pressure, said packing elements being retractable to permit a drill stem to pass and rotate therebetween withoutcontact therewith.

3. A well drilling apparatus including an elongate vertical enclosure adapted to be mounted on the upper end of a well casing and arranged to permit the passage of drills and tools therethrough, said enclosure being pressure tight, a pressure tight drilling head mounted on the upper end of the enclosure and having a rotating member therein arranged so that a fiat sided drill stem may be passed vertically therethrough while rotating and without losing well pressure, a packing device connected in the enclosure below the drilling head and having yieldablepacking .for readily detaching the drilling head frdm the enclosure above the packing device.

4. A well drilling apparatus including an elongate vertical enclosure adapted to be mounted on the upper end of a well casing and arranged to permit the passage of drills and tools therethrough, said enclosure being pressure tight, a

pressure tight drilling head mounted on the up- 3 per end of'the enclosure and having a rotating member therein arranged so that a flat sided drill stem maybe passed vertically therethrough while rotating and without losing well pressure,

a packing device connected in the enclosure below the drilling head and having retractable yieldable packing elements permitting the passage of the outside pipe couplings of a drill pipe without losing well pre'ssure,,said packing elements being retractable to permit a drill stem 45 to pass and rotate therebetween without contact therewith, and a blowout preventer connected in the enclosure below, the packing device and above the casing. e

5. A well drilling apparatus including an elongate vertical enclosure adapted to be mounted on'the upper'end of a well casing and arranged to permit the passage oi drills and tools therethrough, saidenclosure being pressure tight, 9. pressure tight drilling head mounted on the upper end of the enclosure andhaving a rotating member therein arranged so that a flat sided drill stem maybe passed verticallytherethrough while rotating and without losing well pressure, a packing device connected in the enclosure below the drilling and having retractable yieldable packing elements permitting the passage of the outside pipe couplings of a drill pipe jwithout losing well pressure, said packing elements being retractable to permit a drill stem to pass and rotate thereb'etween without contact therewith, means for readily detaching the drilling head from the enclosure above the packing device, a

blowout preventer connected in the enclosure below the packing device and above the casing, 70

and a master gate connectedin the enclosure between the blowout preventer and the'casing.

HERBERT C. OTIS. 

